Websites inaccessible to disabled people missing out, say experts
Jul 29 2008
Businesses whose websites are not accessible to disabled people are missing out on a 'vast potential market', according to a web consultancy.
There are some eight and a half million disabled people in the UK, three and a half million of which are not able to use a conventional keyboard, e-consultancy reports.
In total, such a group can make up a significant number of potential customers for small online businesses, says researcher for the group Graham Charlton.
He explains: 'The key thing is that if your website is not accessible to these people, you are missing out on a vast potential market.'
Charlton adds that often the same factors which make a website accessible to disabled people - clear text, labelled images, html copy rather than images of copy - also appeal to search engines.
This means that a company with a more accessible website is more likely to come up highly in search engine rankings and be visible to a larger number of internet users.
Having an accessible website is also required by law. This is because it is defined as a service provided by a business and must therefore be available to disabled internet users.
There are some eight and a half million disabled people in the UK, three and a half million of which are not able to use a conventional keyboard, e-consultancy reports.
In total, such a group can make up a significant number of potential customers for small online businesses, says researcher for the group Graham Charlton.
He explains: 'The key thing is that if your website is not accessible to these people, you are missing out on a vast potential market.'
Charlton adds that often the same factors which make a website accessible to disabled people - clear text, labelled images, html copy rather than images of copy - also appeal to search engines.
This means that a company with a more accessible website is more likely to come up highly in search engine rankings and be visible to a larger number of internet users.
Having an accessible website is also required by law. This is because it is defined as a service provided by a business and must therefore be available to disabled internet users.
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